


Horses, Foolishness and Why They Should Never Collide

by Olos



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gay Foolishness, Injury, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-05-08 02:16:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14684352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Olos/pseuds/Olos
Summary: A plan to woo goes wrong.Very wrong.





	Horses, Foolishness and Why They Should Never Collide

“Ai! Jer, I bet I can stay on this horse when it bucks!” I yell, already atop the horse I intended to make rear. Some part of me warns that I shouldn’t, but why should I listen? I can stay atop a horse! And doing so would really impress Jer, wouldn’t it? He’d think it amazing…  
Jer cuts in, his voice both incredulous and slightly worried. “Well don’t break yourself doing so, Mir!”  
I grin cockily, saying, “Don’t worry for me, I don’t do things I know I can’t do!”

With that, I spur the horse. It starts running, but doesn’t buck. I spur it again, with the horse only picking up its pace. I turn back around to remain within Jer’s line of sight.  
“Are you sure you can get the horse to buck?” He asks, voice holding back giggles.  
“Yes, I can! Just give me time!” I insist, growing embarrassed. //I’ll have to have the horse buck really high to impress Jer now.// I think.

I give the horse a mighty kick; it rears, harder than I expected and very, very fast. //Too fast!// I realize, and too late do I grapple for a handhold. I’m falling off, //oh no! Not good, not good!// I stick my arm out to slow my fall. I land full on that arm, and something cracks near the wrist. I start screaming as the pain makes itself known.  
“Mir! Mir, what happened?” Jer is besides me now, and oh am I embarrassed. //I really messed it up and now my wrist HURTS and now Jer probably thinks I’m a fool.// I think sadly.  
All I can do is shout far too loudly for the distance between us, “My wrist! It’s awful!”  
Jer reaches out to my injured wrist, saying, “Here, let me look at it…” When he does touch it, the pain doubles and I swat his hand away, whimpering, “No, no don’t touch it, it hurts…” I curl away and into myself, forming a small ball of teenaged misery. I start crying.

At that moment, footsteps come running up, and my brother’s worried voice rings out, saying “Jer, what happened here?”  
I feel Jer turn, and he says, “Mir here fell off his horse and I think he injured his wrist badly.”  
“I’ll- I’ll run for father,” says Faramir with forced confidence.  
A sudden foreboding for Faramir’s course of action hits me, and I speak as evenly as I may, “No, Faramir, go for a healer. Jer can go for father.”  
“But you will be left alone!” Says Jer.  
“Thats alright, do you think I’m going anywhere?” I force a chuckle, because the tension is awful.  
“Jer is right to object, but if you will stay here and not get injured further, I suppose we can let you be here…” Faramir trails off, thinking.  
“I’ll be let alone but a few minutes! I’ll be alright.” I reassure them both.  
Noises of assent before both boys ran off. //Now I wait,// I think. Now that there’s nothing distracting me, my wrist hurst something awful. I do hope Faramir gets back quickly.  
A few minutes later, two sets of footsteps come running; my brother’s and someone else’s, the healer’s, I presume.  
“Oh dear boy, what did you do?” The healer’s voice is gentle and slightly admonishing.  
“I…fell off a horse. It’s my wrist” I say. It’s harder now to steady my voice.  
The healer pokes and examines my wrist as gently as can be, but it still hurts bad. I writhe and try to pull away, but the forearm of my wrist is held and won’t be moved.  
“Oh yes, it’s just a break. Let’s get this set, and then we’ll go get you a brew for the pain, and bedrest for a while, we don’t want to prolong the healing process.” The healer explained.  
“Father won’t be pleased,” fretted Faramir. I know he’s right.

Just as Faramir says so, another pair of footsteps come running up.  
“Here he is Lord, the healer is with him.” Says Jer.  
“Good. Run along now,” Father says, dismissing Jer.  
“Now. What happened?” Demands father.  
“I fell off my horse and broke my wrist,” I explain.  
“And you, Faramir,” he all but spits to me brother. I turn to him, shocked. “Why didn’t you stop this from happening?”  
Faramir hesitates, before saying, “Father, I was not here when Boromir fell, I did not even know he was on his horse.” Says Faramir. I know it won’t be enough.  
“Please, Faramir speaks truly, he was not here. And my falling was of my own foolishness and arrogance, so pray, blame me!” I insist.  
“Do not tell me whose side to take!” Thunders father.  
The nurse interjects, saying, “Lord, I must take your son for further treatment. Do you let us go?”  
A pause and then, “Yes, go and help him.” A dismissal, and the healer guides me away.

As ever, the brew is awful tasting. I nearly gag, but I drink it. By the time I arrive back at my room, wrist splinted and held in place, my arm feels a little better.   
//And now for rest, if I can indeed get some.// I think.

An hour or so passes when the door opens and in steps Jer.  
“Ai, Mir. How’s your wrist?” He asks, and I feel a flush creep up my face at his genuine concern. //Wow, he cares! Maybe he doesn’t think lowly of me for my stunt.// I hope.  
“It’s better. Thanks a lot for doing what you did today, it means a lot,” I smile awkwardly.  
“Of course, it’s what I’d naturally do.” He smiles back. Butterflies manifest themselves in my stomach.  
“Ha-have you heard news of my brother?” I ask.  
“I found him near his chambers, he said he was sent to bed for not stopping that feat of yours,” Jer says wryly.   
I seethe for a moment at the injustice of it all, and respond, “If you would be so kind, could you pass on my love and support to him? I’m chamber bound myself at healer’s orders.”  
“Of course, I’m sure Faramir would love to hear you’re feeling better. I’ll be back if he wishes to pass a message back!” And with that, he turns and walks out the door, shutting it behind him.

He’s back within half an hour, saying, “Faramir is glad to hear you’re getting better, and he is happy for your solidarity.”   
“Thanks so much, Jer, you’re too good to me,” I say, grinning like the fool I am.  
“Please, you’re worth this effort,” he says back, effortlessly. I think my face is now a fair resemblance to a tomato.  
“I-well-thank you, all the same.” I stutter. //Oh I look like a fool all over again!// I bemoan. I get the sudden urge to hide my face, but keep it in view.  
“Well, I’d best be off, feel better soon Mir!” He sets a hand on my shoulder and squeezes it before leaving the room. I’m flustered, oh indeed.  
But I’ll be alright.


End file.
